Battledome Strategy 101 – Lesson 1 by Jadeasahi

Lesson 1: The First Turn Freeze

The first turn freeze is a strategy employed by Battledomers early on in their careers, and takes them well into the high end game. At the lowest levels, this is attempted with unreliable freezing, but inexpensive, abilities and weapons such as: fiery gaze, snowglobe staff, and the frost cannons, to name a few options.

The purpose of the first turn freeze is to render an opponent helpless for the second round of combat, allowing the attacking player to get their damage through completely unblocked. Typically this attack will consist of the highest damage weapons in that person’s arsenal with fierce or berserk attack. Honey potions are probably the favorite item to use unblocked, but are expensive. Other weapons in this family include Jhudora’s Potion, Battle Potate, Cake Bomb, Ummagine Battle Muffin, and Ummagine Bomb; there is a long list of once-per-battle high damage weapons. Also in this situation, attackers will typically use very high damage multiple use weapons that are easily blocked, such as the Attack Pea.

Once a pet reaches that point where it cannot be killed by a general opponent by a first turn freeze, this strategy becomes something less of a threat. That can take well over 300 to 400 hit points on a middle range pet. Pets in the strength 150 to 200 range can do anywhere from 100 to 350 damage with the right weapons in an unblocked situation. This is why defending against the first turn freeze is almost mandatory, and the only way to do this is to first turn freeze in response.
Once players reach equilibrium with the bilateral first turn freeze the battle frequently becomes an issue of which can get in a second freeze using fiery gaze; this is what makes reliable freezing weapons so valuable (Hypno Helmet and Freezing Potion). A player relying on a Snowglobe Staff or a Frost Cannon for a first turn freeze MUST use fiery gaze as well to improve the odds of actually getting the freeze. If both effects freeze on the same turn, then when effect has been wasted. A player with a Hypno Helmet or Freezing Potion has a 100 percent chance of a first turn freeze, and does not have to use Fiery Gaze until later turns.

If a pet reaches a point where it can survive an unblocked attack from most opponents, the first turn freeze stops dictating style of play; i.e. it no longer becomes mandatory to use freeze effects on the first turn. In fact, higher level battledomers will save their freeze abilities for the end battle, in the hopes of finishing off badly wounded high hit point opponents. – Jadeasahi